Fluid flushing system

ABSTRACT

A fluid flushing system includes a sampling port comprising a sampling conduit configured to dispense a sample of a fluid in the fluid routing assembly; a valve configurable in an open valve configuration, wherein the fluid is permitted to flow through the fluid flushing system, and a closed valve configuration, wherein the fluid is prohibited from flowing through the fluid flushing system; and a backflow preventer disposed between the sampling port and the valve, the backflow preventer configured to allow the fluid to flow in a first direction through the fluid flushing system towards the valve and to prevent the fluid from flowing in an opposite second direction through the fluid flushing system towards the sampling port.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No.16/930,962, filed Jul. 16, 2020, which is hereby specificallyincorporated by reference herein in its entirety.

TECHNICAL FIELD

This disclosure relates to flushing systems. More specifically, thisdisclosure relates to a remotely-operable flushing system for fluiddistribution systems.

BACKGROUND

Flushing systems can be used to periodically flush fluid from fluidsystems, such as water systems. Flushing water systems can be done for avariety of reasons, including improving the quality of the water.Flushing systems are typically contained within a housing comprising aremovable lid. To operate the flushing system, an operator musttypically remove the lid from the housing and manually activate theflushing system. An operator must also typically be physically presentto obtain various information related to fluid within the flushingsystem or the flushing system itself.

SUMMARY

It is to be understood that this summary is not an extensive overview ofthe disclosure. This summary is exemplary and not restrictive, and it isintended neither to identify key or critical elements of the disclosurenor delineate the scope thereof. The sole purpose of this summary is toexplain and exemplify certain concepts of the disclosure as anintroduction to the following complete and extensive detaileddescription.

Disclosed is a remote-operated flushing system comprising a fluidrouting assembly comprising a valve, the valve configurable in an openconfiguration, wherein fluid is permitted to flow through the fluidrouting assembly, and a closed configuration, wherein the fluid isprohibited from flowing through the fluid routing assembly; a controldevice configured to actuate the valve between the open configurationand closed configuration; a remote operation device wirelessly connectedto the control device and configured to remotely operate the controldevice to control the actuation of the valve between the openconfiguration and closed configuration; and a sensor configured todetect a fluid property of the fluid within the fluid routing assembly,wherein the control device is configured to wirelessly send a signalrepresentative of the fluid property detected by the sensor.

Also disclosed is a remote-operated flushing system comprising a fluidrouting assembly comprising a valve, the valve configurable in an openconfiguration, wherein fluid is permitted to flow through the fluidrouting assembly, and a closed configuration, wherein the fluid isprohibited from flowing through the fluid routing assembly; and apressure monitoring system, the pressure monitoring system comprising: apressure sensor mounted to the fluid routing assembly and configured todetect a pressure of the fluid within the fluid routing assembly; and apressure monitoring unit configured to wirelessly send a pressure signalrepresentative of the pressure detected by the pressure sensor, thepressure monitoring unit further configured to wirelessly receive acontrol signal from a remote operation device and to actuate the valvebetween the open configuration and closed configuration in response tothe control signal.

Also disclosed is a method of operating a flushing system, the methodcomprising providing a flushing system comprising a fluid routingassembly and a control device, the fluid routing assembly comprising avalve configurable in an open configuration, wherein fluid is permittedto flow through the fluid routing assembly, and a closed configuration,wherein the fluid is prohibited from flowing through the fluid routingassembly; remotely sending a control signal to a control device;actuating the valve between the open configuration and closedconfiguration with the control device in response to the control signal;detecting a pressure of the fluid with a pressure sensor; and sending asignal with the control device, the signal representative of thepressure detected by the pressure sensor.

Additionally, disclosed is a fluid flushing system comprising a samplingport comprising a sampling conduit configured to dispense a sample of afluid in the fluid routing assembly; a valve configurable in an openvalve configuration, wherein the fluid is permitted to flow through thefluid flushing system, and a closed valve configuration, wherein thefluid is prohibited from flowing through the fluid flushing system; anda backflow preventer disposed between the sampling port and the valve,the backflow preventer configured to allow the fluid to flow in a firstdirection through the fluid flushing system towards the valve and toprevent the fluid from flowing in an opposite second direction throughthe fluid flushing system towards the sampling port.

A method of operating a fluid flushing system is also disclosed, themethod comprising providing the fluid flushing system comprising aninlet conduit, an outlet conduit, a backflow preventer disposed betweenthe inlet conduit and the outlet conduit, and a flow valve disposedbetween the backflow preventer and the outlet conduit, wherein thebackflow preventer is configured to allow a fluid to flow in a firstdirection through the fluid flushing system towards the flow valve andto prevent the fluid from flowing in an opposite second directionthrough the fluid flushing system towards the inlet conduit; actuating ashutoff valve of the backflow preventer to an open configuration toallow the fluid to flow through the backflow preventer from the inletconduit to the flow valve; and actuating the shutoff valve to a closedconfiguration to prohibit fluid from flowing through the backflowpreventer.

Various implementations described in the present disclosure may includeadditional systems, methods, features, and advantages, which may notnecessarily be expressly disclosed herein but will be apparent to one ofordinary skill in the art upon examination of the following detaileddescription and accompanying drawings. It is intended that all suchsystems, methods, features, and advantages be included within thepresent disclosure and protected by the accompanying claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The features and components of the following figures are illustrated toemphasize the general principles of the present disclosure.Corresponding features and components throughout the figures may bedesignated by matching reference characters for the sake of consistencyand clarity.

FIG. 1A is a perspective view of a flushing system, in accordance withone aspect of the present disclosure.

FIG. 1B is a top view of the flushing system of FIG. 1A.

FIG. 2 is a top perspective view of a fluid routing assembly of theflushing system of FIG. 1A, wherein the fluid routing assembly comprisesbackflow preventer and a valve.

FIG. 3 is a rear perspective view of a pressure monitoring unit and aBluetooth® controller of the flushing system of FIG. 1A.

FIG. 4 is a top perspective view of a housing of the flushing system ofFIG. 1A.

FIG. 5 is a bottom perspective view of the housing of FIG. 4 .

FIG. 6 is a system diagram illustrating a method of operating theflushing system of FIG. 1A.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The present disclosure can be understood more readily by reference tothe following detailed description, examples, drawings, and claims, andthe previous and following description. However, before the presentdevices, systems, and/or methods are disclosed and described, it is tobe understood that this disclosure is not limited to the specificdevices, systems, and/or methods disclosed unless otherwise specified,and, as such, can, of course, vary. It is also to be understood that theterminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particularaspects only and is not intended to be limiting.

The following description is provided as an enabling teaching of thepresent devices, systems, and/or methods in its best, currently knownaspect. To this end, those skilled in the relevant art will recognizeand appreciate that many changes can be made to the various aspects ofthe present devices, systems, and/or methods described herein, whilestill obtaining the beneficial results of the present disclosure. Itwill also be apparent that some of the desired benefits of the presentdisclosure can be obtained by selecting some of the features of thepresent disclosure without utilizing other features. Accordingly, thosewho work in the art will recognize that many modifications andadaptations to the present disclosure are possible and can even bedesirable in certain circumstances and are a part of the presentdisclosure. Thus, the following description is provided as illustrativeof the principles of the present disclosure and not in limitationthereof.

As used throughout, the singular forms “a,” “an” and “the” includeplural referents unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. Thus,for example, reference to “an element” can include two or more suchelements unless the context indicates otherwise.

Ranges can be expressed herein as from “about” one particular value,and/or to “about” another particular value. When such a range isexpressed, another aspect includes from the one particular value and/orto the other particular value. Similarly, when values are expressed asapproximations, by use of the antecedent “about,” it will be understoodthat the particular value forms another aspect. It will be furtherunderstood that the endpoints of each of the ranges are significant bothin relation to the other endpoint, and independently of the otherendpoint.

For purposes of the current disclosure, a material property or dimensionmeasuring about X or substantially X on a particular measurement scalemeasures within a range between X plus an industry-standard uppertolerance for the specified measurement and X minus an industry-standardlower tolerance for the specified measurement. Because tolerances canvary between different materials, processes and between differentmodels, the tolerance for a particular measurement of a particularcomponent can fall within a range of tolerances.

As used herein, the terms “optional” or “optionally” mean that thesubsequently described event or circumstance can or cannot occur, andthat the description includes instances where said event or circumstanceoccurs and instances where it does not.

The word “or” as used herein means any one member of a particular listand also includes any combination of members of that list. Further, oneshould note that conditional language, such as, among others, “can,”“could,” “might,” or “may,” unless specifically stated otherwise, orotherwise understood within the context as used, is generally intendedto convey that certain aspects include, while other aspects do notinclude, certain features, elements and/or steps. Thus, such conditionallanguage is not generally intended to imply that features, elementsand/or steps are in any way required for one or more particular aspectsor that one or more particular aspects necessarily include logic fordeciding, with or without user input or prompting, whether thesefeatures, elements and/or steps are included or are to be performed inany particular aspect.

Disclosed are components that can be used to perform the disclosedmethods and systems. These and other components are disclosed herein,and it is understood that when combinations, subsets, interactions,groups, etc. of these components are disclosed that while specificreference of each various individual and collective combinations andpermutations of these may not be explicitly disclosed, each isspecifically contemplated and described herein, for all methods andsystems. This applies to all aspects of this application including, butnot limited to, steps in disclosed methods. Thus, if there are a varietyof additional steps that can be performed it is understood that each ofthese additional steps can be performed with any specific aspect orcombination of aspects of the disclosed methods.

Disclosed is a remote-operated flushing system and associated methods,systems, devices, and various apparatus. Example aspects of theremote-operated flushing system can comprise a valve configured tocontrol fluid flow through the flushing system and a control device toallow remote operation of the valve. It would be understood by one ofskill in the art that the flushing system is described in but a fewexemplary embodiments among many. No particular terminology ordescription should be considered limiting on the disclosure or the scopeof any claims issuing therefrom.

FIG. 1A is a perspective view of a flushing system 100, in accordancewith one aspect of the present disclosure. The flushing system 100 canbe configured to flush fluid, such as water, from a fluid system, suchas, for example, a municipal water system, or any other fluid systemwhere it may be desirable to periodically flush fluid out of the fluidsystem. For example, it may be desirable to flush stagnant orcontaminated water out of the fluid system. As shown, example aspects ofthe flushing system 100 can comprise a housing 110 defining an interiorcavity 115 within which various components of the flushing system 100can be contained. In the present FIG. 1A, the housing 110 is illustratedas transparent for visibility of the components within the interiorcavity 115. According to example aspects, the housing 110 can comprise asidewall enclosure 120 comprising a plurality of sidewalls 122 anddefining an upper end 124 and a lower end 126, relative to theorientation shown. In some aspects, an access opening 128 providingaccess to the interior cavity 115 can be formed at the upper end 124.The housing 110 can further comprise a lid 425 (shown in FIG. 4 )oriented at the upper end 124 of the sidewall enclosure 120 and a base129 (shown in FIG. 1B) oriented at the lower end 126 of the sidewallenclosure 120. As described in further detail below, in some aspects,the lid 425 can be configured to selectively uncover the access opening128, as shown, and cover the access opening 128, as shown in FIG. 4 . Inexample aspects, the housing 110 can be buried below or mostly belowground, and that the lid 425 can be oriented about flush with groundlevel. As such, the lid 425 can be removed from the sidewall enclosure120 as needed, without the flushing system 100 extending above ground.Example aspects of the housing 110 can be formed from a compositematerial, a plastic material, such as polyvinyl chloride (PVC), a metalmaterial, or any other suitable material or combination of materialsknown in the art.

According to example aspects, the flushing system 100 can comprise asubstantially U-shaped fluid routing assembly 130 configured to routefluid from the fluid system through the flushing system 100. In otheraspects, the fluid routing assembly 130 may not define a U-shape.Example aspects of the fluid routing assembly 130 can comprise asampling port 135, a backflow preventer 140, and a valve 143. In exampleaspects, the valve 143 can be an adjustable flow valve 145, as shown,and can be configured to control the flow of fluid through the flushingsystem 100. In other aspects, the valve 143 can be any other suitabletype of valve known in the art. Additionally, in example aspects, someor all of the internal components of the adjustable flow valve 145 cancomprise a stainless steel material; however, in other aspects, theinternal components of the adjustable flow valve 145 can comprise anyother suitable material or combination of materials. An inlet pathway150 can be provided for routing fluid into the fluid routing assembly130 and an outlet pathway 160 can be provided for routing the fluid outof the fluid routing assembly 130. In the present aspect, fluid from thefluid system can flow into the flushing system 100 through the inletpathway 150, past the sampling port 135, through the backflow preventer140, through the adjustable flow valve 145, and out of the flushingsystem 100 through the outlet pathway 160. In some aspects, the fluidcan further be configured to flow through a dechlorination unit 170.

As shown, the sampling port 135 can be oriented between the inletpathway 150 and the backflow preventer 140. According to exampleaspects, the sampling port 135 can comprise a sampling conduit 136configured to dispense samples of the fluid in the fluid routingassembly 130 for testing the quality of the fluid. For example, thefluid can be tested for levels of lead, bacteria, nitrates, chlorine, pHlevels, or the like. The fluid can be dispensed into a collectioncontainer and can be tested on site or taken to a testing facility. Insome aspects, samples of the fluid can be obtained from the flushingsystem 100 even when the flushing system 100 is not actively flushing.In example aspects, the backflow preventer 140 can be oriented betweenthe sampling port 135 and the adjustable flow valve 145. The backflowpreventer 140 can be configured to allow fluid to flow therethrough in afirst direction towards the outlet pathway 160, but can prevent thefluid from flowing in an opposite second direction back towards theinlet pathway 150. As such, the fluid in the fluid system can beprotected from contamination by the fluid in the flushing system 100backflowing into the fluid system. In the present aspect, the backflowpreventer 140 can be a double check valve 141, though in other aspects,the backflow preventer 140 can define any other suitable configurationknown in the art, such as an air gap. Example aspects of the backflowpreventer 140 can comprise one or more relief valves 142, as shown. Therelief valves 142 may be spaced apart along the backflow preventer 140to relive air buildup within the backflow preventer 140 at variouspoints.

According to example aspects, the adjustable flow valve 145 can beoriented between the backflow preventer 140 and the outlet pathway 160.The adjustable flow valve 145 can be configured to control the operationof the flushing system 100. For example, the adjustable flow valve 145can be selectively oriented in an open configuration and a closedconfiguration. In the open configuration, fluid can flow through theadjustable flow valve 145, and the flushing system 100 can flush thefluid through the fluid routing assembly 130. In the closedconfiguration, the fluid can be prevented from flowing through theadjustable flow valve 145, and the flushing system 100 can thus beprevented flushing the fluid through the fluid routing assembly 130.Example aspects of the adjustable flow valve 145 can be asolenoid-operated adjustable flow valve 145, though in other aspects,the adjustable flow valve 145 can be a hydraulic adjustable flow valve,pneumatic adjustable flow valve, or any other suitable type ofadjustable flow valve. In still other aspects, the valve 143 may not bean adjustable flow valve 145, and can instead comprise any othersuitable type of valve known in the art. In aspects of the adjustableflow valve 145 that are solenoid-operated, a solenoid 146 (shown in FIG.1B) can be configured to selectively either admit or release pressureinto a main chamber of the adjustable flow valve 145, thus orienting theadjustable flow valve 145 in the closed and open configurations,respectively, in order to prevent or permit fluid flow through theadjustable flow valve 145, respectively. In some aspects, the adjustableflow valve 145 can further be oriented in any suitable number ofpartially-open configurations to selectively regulate the fluid flowthrough the adjustable flow valve 145. Example aspects of the adjustableflow valve 145 can further comprise a strainer therein configured tofilter debris out the fluid flowing therethrough.

Example aspects of the flushing system 100 can further comprise acontrol device 175 configured to allow an operator to remotely controlthe operation of the flushing system 100, i.e., to remotely control theselective orientation of the adjustable flow valve 145 in the open,closed, and partially-opened configurations, from a remote operationdevice 610 (shown in FIG. 6 ). In some aspects, such as the presentaspect, the control device 175 can be completely wireless, while inother aspects, the control device 175 can be wired to the adjustableflow valve 145. For example, as shown, the flushing system 100 cancomprise one or both of a pressure monitoring system 180 and aBluetooth® controller 190, and one or both of the pressure monitoringsystem 180 and Bluetooth® controller 190 can serve as the control device175. In some aspects, the control device 175 can also be configured tocontrol the speed at which the adjustable flow valve 145 opens andcloses, which can aid in preventing water hammer. Bluetooth® is oneexample of short distance wireless communication protocols, and can beused to implement personal-area networks (PANs) In aspects wherein theBluetooth® controller 190 is the control device 175 and the adjustableflow valve 145 is solenoid-operated, the Bluetooth® controller 190 canbe connected to the solenoid by one or more wires 147 (shown in FIG.1B). In other aspects, the Bluetooth® controller 190 configured towirelessly actuate the solenoid 146. Example aspects of the Bluetooth®controller 190 can also be wirelessly connected to the remote operationdevice 610, which can allow an operator to remotely send signals to theBluetooth® controller 190 from the remote operation device 610. In otheraspects, any other suitable wireless communication technique(s) may beimplemented for remotely controlling the adjustable flow valve 145 withthe control device 175.

The remote operation device 610 can be, for example, a mobile phone,tablet, computer, or the like. In example aspects, a program or app canbe downloaded onto the remote operation device 610, through which theoperator can send signals to the Bluetooth® controller 190. For example,the remote operation device 610 can be configured to send a controlsignal(s) 615 (shown in FIG. 6 ) to the Bluetooth® controller 190, andthe Bluetooth® controller 190 can actuate the adjustable flow valve 145in response to the control signal(s) 615. As such, an operator canremotely actuate the adjustable flow valve 145 with the remote operationdevice 610 in order to remotely operate the flushing system 100. Thus,the adjustable flow valve 145 of the flushing system 100 does not needto be physically accessed by an operator in order to be operated.Furthermore, the operator may be able to operate the flushing system 100at a distance from Bluetooth® controller 190. For example, an operatormay be able to operate the flushing system 100 from across the streetfrom the flushing system 100. This can be beneficial in variousinstances, such as, for example, when the weather is poor and theoperator wishes to stay inside their vehicle, or if the flushing system100 is located in an area that is difficult to access. As shown in thepresent aspect, the Bluetooth® controller 190 can be mounted to thesidewall enclosure 120 of the housing 110, though in other aspects, theBluetooth® controller 190 can be mounted at any suitable location withinthe interior cavity 115, including mounted to the fluid routing assembly130, the lid 425, or the base 129. Some aspects of the Bluetooth®controller 190 may be configured to control various other features ofthe flushing system 100 and/or may be configured to communicateinformation, such as water quality information, to one or more externalelectronic device(s) 620 (shown in FIG. 6 ). In a particular exampleaspect, the external electronic device(s) 620 can be or include acomputer at a remote operations center. Furthermore, in some aspects,the external electronic device(s) 620 can be or can include the remoteoperation device 610.

According to some example aspects, the flushing system 100 can also oralternatively comprise the pressure monitoring system 180. In someaspects, the pressure monitoring system 180 can be similar to themonitoring device disclosed in U.S. patent application Ser. No.15/171,722, filed Jun. 2, 2016, which is hereby specificallyincorporated by reference herein in its entirety. Example aspects of thepressure monitoring system 180 can comprise a pressure sensor 182 (shownin FIG. 1B) and a pressure monitoring unit 185. The pressure sensor 182can be, for example, a piezo-resistive strain gauge, a capacitive gauge,an electromagnetic gauge, a piezoelectric device, or any other suitabledevice known in the art for detecting pressure. The pressure sensor 182can be mounted within the fluid routing assembly 130 such that thepressure sensor 182, or a portion thereof, is in contact with the fluidtherein. The pressure sensor 182 can be wired to the pressure monitoringunit 185 by one or more wires 183 (shown in FIG. 1B) and can transmitpressure data obtained by the pressure sensor 182 through the wires 183to the pressure monitoring unit 185. In other aspects, the pressuresensor 182 may be configured to wirelessly transmit the pressure data tothe pressure monitoring unit 185. In various aspects, the pressuresensor 182 can be configured to continually communicate pressure data tothe pressure monitoring unit 185, while in other aspects, the pressuresensor 182 can communicate pressure data periodically or only when ananomaly is detected. The pressure monitoring unit 185 can be configuredto evaluate the pressure data to determine whether a concern is present.For example, the pressure monitoring unit 185 may comprise a printedcircuit board or other processing unit configured to process andevaluate the pressure data. Example aspects of the pressure monitoringunit 185 can also be configured to send a pressure signal 685 (shown inFIG. 6 ) representative of the detected pressure to a designatedelectronic device(s) 620, which may include the remote operation device610, as described in further detail below. In instances wherein thepressure data presents a concern, the pressure monitoring unit 185 maybe configured to send an alert signal to the designated electronicdevice(s) 620. Furthermore, in some aspects, the pressure monitoringunit 185 can be the control device 175 and can be configured to controlthe operation of the solenoid 146, and thus, the Bluetooth® controller190 may not be required. As shown, the pressure monitoring unit 185 canbe connected to the solenoid 146 by one or more wires 148, or may bewirelessly connected to the solenoid 146. In example aspects, thesolenoid 146 can be connected to only one of the Bluetooth® controller190 and the pressure monitoring unit 185, though in other aspects, thesolenoid 146 may be connected to both. Moreover, in some aspects, thepressure monitoring unit 185 may be configured to control various otherfeatures of the flushing system 100 and/or may be configured tocommunicate information, such as water quality information, to thedesignated external electronic device(s) 620. As shown in the presentaspect, the pressure monitoring unit 185 can be mounted to the sidewallenclosure 120 of the housing 110, though in other aspects, the pressuremonitoring unit 185 can be mounted at any suitable location within theinterior cavity 115, including mounted to the fluid routing assembly130, the lid 425, or the base 129.

According to example aspects, the flushing system 100 can furthercomprise the dechlorination unit 170 received within the housing 110. Insome aspects, the dechlorination unit 170 can be mounted to the housing110, for example, to the sidewall enclosure 120, and in other aspects,the dechlorination unit 170 can be mounted to the fluid routing assembly130. The dechlorination unit 170 can be configured to dechlorinate fluidas it flows therethrough. For example, in some aspects, thedechlorination unit 170 can comprise dechlorination tablets thereinwhich can dechlorinate the fluid as the fluid passes over thedechlorination tablets. The dechlorination tablets can comprise sodiumsulfite, ascorbic acid, or any other suitable substance fordechlorinating fluid. According to example aspects, some or all of thefluid being flushed through the flushing system 100 can be routedthrough the dechlorination unit 170 for dechlorination. As shown, thefluid can be transferred from the fluid routing assembly 130 to thedechlorination unit 170 through a dechlorination inlet conduit 172, and,once dechlorinated, the fluid can be transferred from the dechlorinationunit 170 back to the fluid routing assembly 130 through a dechlorinationoutlet conduit 174. In the present aspect, the dechlorination inletconduit 172 can extend from the valve 143 to the dechlorination unit170, and the dechlorination outlet conduit 174 can extend from thedechlorination unit 170 to the outlet pathway 160, downstream of thevalve 143. In some aspects, the dechlorination unit 170 may comprise adechlorination valve that can be selectively adjusted to control therate of dechlorination. According to example aspects, various local,state, or national standards may exist for the dechlorination of fluidflushed from a fluid system, and the dechlorination unit 170 can bedesigned to meet or exceed these standards.

FIG. 1B illustrates a top view of the flushing system 100, wherein thelid 425 (shown in FIG. 4 ) is removed for visibility into the interiorcavity 115. As shown, the pressure sensor 182 can be mounted to thevalve 143 at an, and the pressure monitoring unit 185 can be connectedto the pressure sensor 182 by the wire 183. The pressure monitoring unit185 can also be connected to the solenoid 146 by the wire 148. Someaspects of the flushing system 100 can also or alternatively include theBluetooth® controller 190, which can be connected to the solenoid 146 bythe wires 147. In other aspects, the pressure monitoring unit 185 may bewirelessly connected to either or both of the pressure sensor 182 andthe solenoid 146 and/or the Bluetooth® controller 190 may be wirelesslyconnected to the solenoid 146.

FIG. 2 illustrates a top perspective view of the fluid routing assembly130. As shown, the inlet pathway 150 can comprise an inlet conduit 252that can be connected to the fluid system and can provide a path for thefluid in the fluid system to enter the fluid routing assembly 130. Theinlet conduit 252 can be configured to extend into the interior cavity115 through an inlet opening 532 (shown in FIG. 5 ) formed in the base129 (shown in FIG. 1B) of the housing 110 (shown in FIG. 1A). In someaspects, an inlet mounting bracket 253 can be mounted to the inletconduit 252, and the inlet mounting bracket 253 can be attached to thebase 129 to secure the inlet conduit 252 to the housing 110. As shown,one or more fasteners, such as nut and bolt fasteners 255, may beprovided for securing the inlet mounting bracket 253 to the base 129. Inexample aspects, the inlet pathway 150 can be configured to extendsubstantially upward, relative to the orientation shown, towards theupper end 124 (shown in FIG. 1A) of the sidewall enclosure 120 (shown inFIG. 1A). As shown, in the present aspect, an inlet connector 254 can beprovided for connecting the inlet conduit 252 to an inlet pipe 256. Insome aspects, one or both of the inlet conduit 252 and inlet pipe 256can be threadably coupled to the inlet connector 254. An inlet elbowfitting 258 can be coupled to the inlet pipe 256 and can define a bendangle of about 90°. As such, the fluid can flow from the fluid systeminto the inlet conduit 252, and can then flow through the inletconnector 254, inlet pipe 256, and inlet elbow fitting 258. Exampleaspects of the inlet pathway 150 can comprise more or fewer componentsas needed to route the fluid to the backflow preventer 140.

Example aspects of the outlet pathway 160 can comprise an outlet conduit262 that can provide a path for the fluid to exit the fluid routingassembly 130. In example aspects, the outlet conduit 262 can beconnected to a fluid discharge location, such as sewage system, stormsystem, swale, retention system, or the like. In some aspects, asdescribed above, the fluid flushed through the flushing system 100 canbe routed through the dechlorination unit 170 (shown in FIG. 1A) priorto being discharged at the fluid discharge location. The outlet conduit262 can be configured to extend into the interior cavity 115 through anoutlet opening 534 (shown in FIG. 5 ) formed in the base 129 (shown inFIG. 1B) of the housing 110 (shown in FIG. 1A). In some aspects, anoutlet mounting bracket 263 can be mounted to the outlet conduit 262,and the outlet mounting bracket 263 can be attached to the base 129 tosecure the outlet conduit 262 to the housing 110. As shown, one or morefasteners, such as nut and bolt fasteners 265, may be provided forsecuring the outlet mounting bracket 263 to the base 129. According tosome example aspects, the outlet pathway 160 can be configured to extendsubstantially upward, relative to the orientation shown, towards theupper end 124 of the sidewall enclosure 120. In the present aspect, theoutlet pathway 160 can further comprise an outlet connector 264 forconnecting the outlet conduit 262 to an outlet pipe 266. In someaspects, the outlet conduit 262 and outlet pipe 266 can be threadablycoupled to the outlet connector 264. As such, as shown, the fluid in theflushing system 100 can exit the flushing system 100 by flowing into theoutlet pipe 266, and then through the outlet connector 264 and theoutlet conduit 262. Example aspects of the outlet pathway 160 cancomprise more or fewer components as needed to route the fluid out ofthe flushing system 100. In other aspects, either or both of the inletpathway 150 and outlet pathway 160 comprise any suitable configurationfor routing the fluid into and out of the flushing system 100.

According to example aspects, a backflow preventer inlet 210 canoriented between and coupled to the inlet elbow fitting 258 and to aninlet end 242 of the backflow preventer 140, such that fluid can flowfrom the inlet elbow fitting 258, through the backflow preventer inlet210, and into the backflow preventer 140. In some aspects, the backflowpreventer inlet 210 can be threadably coupled to the inlet elbow fitting258. As shown, the sampling port 135 extend from and can be in fluidcommunication with the backflow preventer inlet 210. As such, thesampling port 135 can be oriented proximate to the upper end 124 of thesidewall enclosure 120, such that the sampling port 135 can be easilyaccessed when the lid 425 is removed from the housing 110 to allowaccess to the interior cavity 115. In other aspects, however, thesampling port 135 can be oriented at any other suitable location in theflushing system 100. Additionally, as shown, the backflow preventerinlet 210 can comprise an inlet shutoff valve 212, such as a ball valve,which, in the present aspect, can be manually operated to selectivelyshut off fluid flow into the backflow preventer 140.

Example aspects of the fluid routing assembly 130 can further comprise abackflow preventer outlet 220 oriented between and coupled to an outletend 244 of the backflow preventer 140 and an inlet end 246 of theadjustable flow valve 145. Thus, fluid can be configured to flow fromthe backflow preventer 140, through the backflow preventer outlet 220,and into the adjustable flow valve 145. Furthermore, as shown, theoutlet pipe 266 of the outlet pathway 160 can be connected to an outletend 248 of the adjustable flow valve 145, such that fluid can flow outof the adjustable flow valve 145 at the outlet end 248 and into theoutlet pathway 160. In some aspects, the backflow preventer outlet 220can be threadably coupled to a threaded valve connector 224, and thethreaded valve connector 224 can be threadably coupled to the inlet end246 of the adjustable flow valve 145. Similar to the backflow preventerinlet 210, the backflow preventer outlet 220 can comprise an outletshutoff valve 222, such as a ball valve, which can be manually operatedto selectively shut of fluid flow out of the backflow preventer 140. Inother aspects, the inlet and outlet shutoff valves 212, 222 may not bemanually-operated, and may instead be automatically operated. Each ofthe backflow preventer 140 and adjustable flow valve 145 can be orientedproximate to the upper end 124 of the sidewall enclosure 120, to allowfor easy access thereto through the access opening 128 for operation ofthe inlet and outlet shutoff valves 212, 222 or for the repair orreplacement of parts. Furthermore, according to some example aspects,the backflow preventer inlet 210 can be coupled to the backflowpreventer outlet 220 by one or more connecting brackets 230. Forexample, as shown, the backflow preventer inlet 210 can be coupled tothe backflow preventer outlet 220 by a first connecting bracket 230 aand a second connecting bracket 230 b. In the present view, the secondconnecting bracket 230 b is largely hidden from view by the backflowpreventer 140, but can be substantially the same as the first connectingbracket 230 a.

FIG. 3 illustrates the Bluetooth® controller 190 and pressure monitoringunit 185 mounted to the sidewall enclosure 120 of the housing 110. Thesidewall enclosure 120 is again illustrated as transparent forvisibility into the interior cavity 115. As described above, otheraspects of the flushing system 100 may comprise only one of theBluetooth® controller 190 and the pressure monitoring unit 185.According to example aspects, the pressure monitoring system 180 cancomprise an antenna configured to send pressure signals 685 (shown inFIG. 6 ) representative of the pressure data received from the pressuresensor 182 (shown in FIG. 1B) to a designated external electronicdevice(s) 620 (shown in FIG. 6 ), which as described, may be or mayinclude the remote operation device 610. Optionally, the housing 110 canbe formed from a non-ferrous material, so that the material does notinterfere with the ability of the antenna to send the pressure signals685 and other signals externally. In the present aspect, the antenna canbe configured to send signals, including the pressure signals 685, overa cellular network. However, in other aspects, signals can be sent fromthe pressure monitoring unit 185 over wifi, ethernet, Bluetooth®, or anyother suitable wireless technology. The pressure monitoring unit 185 maybe configured to report the pressure data externally continually, atuser-defined intervals, or may be configured to report the pressure datasolely when an anomaly occurs, such as a spike in pressure.

In some aspects, the antenna can also allow an operator to remotelycontrol the operation of the flushing system 100. For example, inaspects comprising the solenoid-operated adjustable flow valve 145, theantenna can allow the operator to wirelessly control the solenoid 146(shown in FIG. 1B) to selectively orient the adjustable flow valve 145in the open, closed, and partially-open configurations. As describedabove, the antenna can be wirelessly connected to an app or program onthe remote operation device 610 through which the operator can controlthe flushing system 100. In such aspects, it may not be necessary toinclude the Bluetooth® controller 190 in the flushing system 100.Furthermore, in some aspects, the adjustable flow valve 145 can also beprogrammed to automatically open and close periodically for routineflushing of the fluid system. In example aspects, when the adjustableflow valve 145 moves to the open or partially open configuration,allowing fluid to flow through the flushing system 100, the pressure ofthe fluid can drop and a pressure signal 685 can be sent by the antennarelaying the pressure drop information to the designated externalelectronic device(s) 620. In some aspects, the external electronicdevice(s) 620 can be or can include the remote operation device 610.Similarly, the pressure of the fluid can increase when the adjustableflow valve 145 moves to the closed configuration, and a pressure signal685 can sent relaying the pressure increase information to thedesignated external electronic device(s) 620.

According to example aspects, the antenna may allow for remote controlof various other features of the flushing system 100. Furthermore, inaddition to pressure information, the antenna may be configured tocommunicate information related to other aspects of the flushing system100 or the fluid therein to one or more external electronic device(s)620. For example, the flushing system 100 may comprise a temperaturesensor 184 configured to detect a temperature of the fluid and theantenna can be configured to send a temperature signal representative ofthe detected temperature to the designated electronic device(s) 620. Inthe present aspect, the temperature sensor 184 can be housed with thepressure sensor 182 and can be wired to the pressure monitoring unit 185by the wire 183. Example aspects of the flushing system 100 may furthercomprise various other sensors, detectors, and/or measurement tools forsensing, detecting, and/or measuring other properties of the fluid, suchas, for example, fluid quality, flow rate, pH level, chlorine level,disinfectant level, turbidity, and the like. The antenna can communicateinformation related to detected fluid property or properties via a fluidproperty signal. The antenna can also be configured to communicateinformation such as the concentration of the dechlorination substances(e.g., sodium sulfite, ascorbic acid) within the dechlorination unit170, a status of the strainer in the adjustable flow valve 145, etc. Inaspects wherein the Bluetooth® controller 190 is also provided, theBluetooth® controller 190 may allow for remote control the same ordifferent features of the flushing system 100 and/or communication ofthe same or different information.

According to example aspects, the pressure monitoring unit 185 can bemounted to the sidewall enclosure 120 by a pressure monitor bracket 310and the Bluetooth® controller 190 can be mounted to the sidewallenclosure 120 by one or more mounting tabs 320. In the present aspect,the Bluetooth® controller 190 can be mounted to a first one of thesidewalls 122 a of the sidewall enclosure 120 and the pressuremonitoring unit 185 can be mounted to a second one of the sidewalls 122b. In other aspects, the Bluetooth® controller 190 and sidewallenclosure 120 can be mounted at any other suitable location within theinterior cavity 115, including any location on the sidewall enclosure120, lid 425 (shown in FIG. 4 ), base 129 (shown in FIG. 1B), and fluidrouting assembly 130 (shown in FIG. 1A). As shown, example aspects ofthe pressure monitor bracket 310 comprise a bracket ring 312 and abracket mounting flange 314. The bracket ring 312 can wrap around a body386 of the pressure monitoring unit 185 and a head 388 of the pressuremonitoring unit 185 can rest on the bracket ring 312. The bracketmounting flange 314 can abut the second sidewall 122 b of the sidewallenclosure 120 and can define one or more fastener holes 316 formedtherethrough, as shown. A fastener such as, for example, a screw, canextend through each of the fastener holes 316 and can engage the secondsidewall 122 b to mount the pressure monitor bracket 310 to the sidewallenclosure 120. Example aspects of the Bluetooth® controller 190 cancomprise two of the mounting tabs 320 formed monolithically with theBluetooth® controller 190, and the mounting tabs 320 can abut the firstsidewall 122 a of the sidewall enclosure 120. In other aspects, themounting tabs 320 can be formed separately from the Bluetooth®controller 190 and attached thereto. Each of the mounting tabs 320 candefine a fastener hole 326 formed therethrough, and a fastener, such asa screw, for example, can extend through each of the fastener holes 326of the mounting tabs 320 and can engage the first sidewall 122 a tomount the Bluetooth® controller 190 to the sidewall enclosure 120. Inother aspects, the Bluetooth® controller 190 and pressure monitoringunit 185 can be secured to the housing 110 or elsewhere in the interiorcavity 115 by any other suitable attachments mechanisms known in theart.

FIG. 4 illustrates a top perspective view of the housing 110 with thelid 425 covering access opening 128 (shown in FIG. 1A) to prevent accessto the interior cavity 115 (shown in FIG. 1A). In example aspects, thelid 425 may be configured to rest on a rim or stops of the sidewallenclosure 120 to support the lid 425 proximate to the upper end 124 ofthe sidewall enclosure 120. In other aspects, a friction fit may bedefined between the lid 425 and sidewall enclosure 120 to secure the lid425 in position at the upper end 124, and in still other aspects, thehousing 110 can define any other suitable configuration for retainingthe lid 425 at the upper end 124 of the sidewall enclosure 120. Asdescribed above, in example aspect, the lid 425 may be removable fromthe sidewall enclosure 120 to uncover the access opening 128 and allowaccess to the interior cavity 115. For example, the lid 425 may beremoved for the manual operation of the inlet and outlet shutoff valves212, 222 (shown in FIG. 2 ), for obtaining fluid samples from thesampling port 135 (shown in FIG. 1A), for replacing the strainer in theadjustable flow valve 145 (shown in FIG. 1A), for adding additionaldechlorination tablets to the dechlorination unit 170 shown in FIG. 1A),for repairing or replacing any of the components housed within theinterior cavity 115, or for any other suitable reason. Example aspectsof the lid 425 may comprise a handle or handles to facilitate liftingthe lid 425 away from the sidewall enclosure 120. Moreover, in someaspects, a tool may be required to remove the lid 425 in order toprohibit manual removal of the lid 425 and prevent unintentional removalof the lid 425 and/or tampering with the flushing system 100. In otheraspects, the lid 425 may not be removable from housing 110.

FIG. 5 illustrates a bottom perspective view of the housing 110,illustrating the base 129 oriented at the lower end 126 of the sidewallenclosure 120. In some aspects, the base 129 can be monolithicallyformed with sidewall enclosure 120, and in other aspects, the base 129can be separately formed from the sidewall enclosure 120 and attachedthereto. As such, some example aspects of the base 129 can be removablefrom the sidewall enclosure 120, while in other aspects, the base 129 isnot removable. As shown, example aspects of the base 129 can define theinlet opening 532 formed therethrough through which the inlet conduit252 (shown in FIG. 2 ) can extend and the outlet opening 534 formedtherethrough through which the outlet conduit 262 (shown in FIG. 2 ) canextend. Other aspects of the base 129 may comprise additional openingsto allow additional components of the flushing system 100, or othersystems, to extend into and/or out of the interior cavity 115 (shown inFIG. 1A).

FIG. 6 is a system diagram illustrating a method of operating theflushing system 100, according to an example aspect of the disclosure.Example aspects of the method can include providing the flushing system100 comprising the fluid routing assembly 130 (shown in FIG. 1A) and thecontrol device 175, wherein the fluid routing assembly 130 can comprisethe valve 143. The valve can be configurable in the open configuration,wherein fluid is permitted to flow through the fluid routing assembly130, and a closed configuration, wherein the fluid is prohibited fromflowing through the fluid routing assembly 130. The method can furthercomprising remotely sending a control signal 615 to the control device175. For example, the control signal 615 can be sent by the remoteoperation device 610. Example aspects of the method can also compriseactuating the valve 143 between the open configuration and closedconfiguration with the control device 175 in response to the controlsignal 615, wherein, in some aspects, the control device 175 canwirelessly actuate the valve 143 by sending an actuation signal 645 tothe valve 143. In some aspects, the method can further comprisedetecting a pressure of the fluid with the pressure sensor 182, andsending the pressure signal 685 with the control device 175, thepressure signal 685 representative of the pressure detected by thepressure sensor 182. According to example aspects, the pressure signal685 can be sent to an external electronic device 620 or devices, and insome aspects, the external electronic devices(s) 620 can be or cancomprise the remote operation device 610. In example aspects, thepressure sensor 182 can send pressure data wirelessly to the controldevice 175, while in other aspects, the pressure sensor 182 can be wiredto the control device 175 and can transmit data to the control device175 through a pressure sensor wire 640, as shown.

One should note that conditional language, such as, among others, “can,”“could,” “might,” or “may,” unless specifically stated otherwise, orotherwise understood within the context as used, is generally intendedto convey that certain embodiments include, while other embodiments donot include, certain features, elements and/or steps. Thus, suchconditional language is not generally intended to imply that features,elements and/or steps are in any way required for one or more particularembodiments or that one or more particular embodiments necessarilyinclude logic for deciding, with or without user input or prompting,whether these features, elements and/or steps are included or are to beperformed in any particular embodiment.

It should be emphasized that the above-described embodiments are merelypossible examples of implementations, merely set forth for a clearunderstanding of the principles of the present disclosure. Any processdescriptions or blocks in flow diagrams should be understood asrepresenting modules, segments, or portions of code which include one ormore executable instructions for implementing specific logical functionsor steps in the process, and alternate implementations are included inwhich functions may not be included or executed at all, may be executedout of order from that shown or discussed, including substantiallyconcurrently or in reverse order, depending on the functionalityinvolved, as would be understood by those reasonably skilled in the artof the present disclosure. Many variations and modifications may be madeto the above-described embodiment(s) without departing substantiallyfrom the spirit and principles of the present disclosure. Further, thescope of the present disclosure is intended to cover any and allcombinations and sub-combinations of all elements, features, and aspectsdiscussed above. All such modifications and variations are intended tobe included herein within the scope of the present disclosure, and allpossible claims to individual aspects or combinations of elements orsteps are intended to be supported by the present disclosure.

That which is claimed is:
 1. A fluid flushing system comprising: asampling port comprising a sampling conduit configured to dispense asample of a fluid in the fluid routing assembly; a valve configurable inan open valve configuration, wherein the fluid is permitted to flowthrough the fluid flushing system, and a closed valve configuration,wherein the fluid is prohibited from flowing through the fluid flushingsystem; and a backflow preventer disposed between the sampling port andthe valve, the backflow preventer configured to allow the fluid to flowin a first direction through the fluid flushing system towards the valveand to prevent the fluid from flowing in an opposite second directionthrough the fluid flushing system towards the sampling port.
 2. Thefluid flushing system of claim 1, further comprising a pressuremonitoring system, the pressure monitoring system comprising a pressuresensor mounted to the fluid flushing system and configured to detect apressure of the fluid in the fluid flushing system.
 3. The fluidflushing system of claim 2, wherein the pressure monitoring systemfurther comprises a pressure monitoring unit wired to the pressuresensor, the pressure monitoring unit comprising a processing unit and anantenna, the processing unit configured to process pressure data fromthe pressure sensor and to relay the pressure data to the antenna, theantenna configured to send a pressure signal representative of thepressure detected by the pressure sensor.
 4. The fluid flushing systemof claim 3, wherein the antenna is further configured to wirelesslyreceive a control signal from a remote operation device and to actuatethe valve between the open valve configuration and the closed valveconfiguration in response to the control signal.
 5. The fluid flushingsystem of claim 4, further comprising a remote operation devicewirelessly connected to the valve and configured to actuate the valvebetween the open valve configuration and the closed valve configuration.6. The fluid flushing system of claim 3, further comprising atemperature sensor configured to detect a temperature of the fluid inthe fluid flushing system, and wherein the antenna is configured to senda temperature signal representative of the temperature detected by thetemperature sensor.
 7. The fluid flushing system of claim 1, wherein:the fluid flushing system further comprises an inlet pathway configuredto route the fluid from a fluid system into the fluid flushing systemand an outlet pathway configured to route the fluid out of the fluidflushing system; the sampling port is disposed between the inlet pathwayand the backflow preventer; and the valve is disposed between thebackflow preventer and the outlet pathway.
 8. The fluid flushing systemof claim 7, further comprising a housing defining an interior cavity,wherein the sampling port, the valve, and the backflow preventer areoriented within the housing.
 9. The fluid flushing system of claim 8,wherein: the housing comprises a base; the inlet pathway comprises aninlet conduit extending into the interior cavity through an inletopening in the base; and the outlet pathway comprises an outlet conduitextending into the interior cavity through an outlet opening in thebase.
 10. The fluid flushing system of claim 9, further comprising aninlet mounting bracket mounted to the inlet conduit and an outletmounting bracket mounted to the outlet conduit, the inlet mountingbracket attached to the base to secure the inlet conduit to the housing,the outlet mounting bracket attached to the base to secure the outletconduit to the housing.
 11. The fluid flushing system of claim 9,wherein: the housing further comprises a sidewall enclosure and a lid:the sidewall enclosure defines an access opening allowing access to theinterior cavity; and the lid is configurable in a closed lidconfiguration, wherein the lid covers the access opening, and an openlid configuration, wherein the lid is removed from the housing and theaccess opening is uncovered to permit access to the interior cavity. 12.The fluid flushing system of claim 11, wherein the access opening isformed at an upper end of the sidewall enclosure, and wherein thesampling port is oriented proximate to the upper end of the sidewallenclosure to facilitate accessing the sampling port through the accessopening.
 13. The fluid flushing system of claim 1, wherein: the backflowpreventer defines a backflow preventer inlet and a backflow preventeroutlet; the backflow preventer comprises an inlet shutoff valve at thebackflow preventer inlet operable to prevent the fluid from flowing intothe backflow preventer; and the backflow preventer comprises an outletshutoff valve at the backflow preventer outlet operable to prevent thefluid from flowing out of the backflow preventer.
 14. The fluid flushingsystem of claim 13, wherein the backflow preventer inlet is coupled tothe backflow preventer outlet by a backflow connecting bracket.
 15. Thefluid flushing system of claim 13, wherein the backflow preventercomprises a plurality of relief valves spaced apart along the backflowpreventer and configured to relieve air buildup within the backflowpreventer.
 16. A method of operating a fluid flushing system comprising:providing the fluid flushing system comprising an inlet conduit, anoutlet conduit, a backflow preventer disposed between the inlet conduitand the outlet conduit, and a flow valve disposed between the backflowpreventer and the outlet conduit, wherein the backflow preventer isconfigured to allow a fluid to flow in a first direction through thefluid flushing system towards the flow valve and to prevent the fluidfrom flowing in an opposite second direction through the fluid flushingsystem towards the inlet conduit; actuating a shutoff valve of thebackflow preventer to an open configuration to allow the fluid to flowthrough the backflow preventer from the inlet conduit to the flow valve;and actuating the shutoff valve to a closed configuration to prohibitfluid from flowing through the backflow preventer.
 17. The method ofclaim 16, wherein: actuating the shutoff valve of the backflow preventerto the open configuration comprises manually actuating the shutoff valveto the open configuration; and actuating the shutoff valve to the closedconfiguration comprises manually actuating the shutoff valve to theclosed configuration.
 18. The method of claim 16, further comprisingactuating the flow valve from a closed flow configuration to an openflow configuration when the shutoff valve of the backflow preventer isin the open configuration.
 19. The method of claim 16, furthercomprising releasing air buildup within the backflow preventer through arelief valve of the backflow preventer.
 20. The method of claim 16,wherein: the backflow preventer defines a backflow preventer inlet and abackflow preventer outlet; the shutoff valve is an inlet shutoff valveat the backflow preventer inlet that is operable to prevent the fluidfrom flowing into the backflow preventer from the inlet conduit; and thebackflow preventer further comprises an outlet shutoff valve at thebackflow preventer outlet operable to prevent the fluid from flowing outof the backflow preventer to the flow valve.